The very first publication of Orson Scott Card’s short story “Ender’s Game” brought him immense popularity, and ever since his work has been of enduring interest to readers in many countries around the world. Incredible plot entanglements and unexpected twists—take, for example, stories of a person destined to survive a thousand deaths, a boy-supercomputer, deadly dangerous games on a high-speed highway, or a disabled girl who sings incredibly in her sleep—are characteristic of almost every Card work. But even for seasoned science-fiction fans, the unusual, often paradoxical stories of the recognized master of the genre—an outstanding star on the literary horizon of the late 20th century—will be a real discovery: perhaps unexpected, but undeniably enchanting. Especially since almost all the works included in this collection are being published in Russian for the first time.